Avatars in social interactive television

ABSTRACT

Virtual environments are presented on displays along with multimedia programs to permit viewers to participate in a social interactive television environment. The virtual environments include avatars that are created and maintained in part using continually updated animation data that may be captured from cameras that monitor viewing areas in a plurality of sites. User input from the viewers may be processed in determining which viewers are presented in instances of the virtual environment. Continually updating the animation data results in avatars accurately depicting a viewer&#39;s facial expressions and other characteristics. Presence data may be collected and used to determine when to capture background images from a viewing area that may later be subtracted during the capture of animation data. Speech recognition technology may be employed to provide callouts within a virtual environment.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Disclosure

The present disclosure generally relates to distributing digitaltelevision content and more particularly to presenting a virtualenvironment including avatars that represent viewers of the televisioncontent.

2. Description of the Related Art

Televisions are often communicatively coupled to set-top boxes forreceiving multimedia programs from a provider network. Friendsphysically located in different households may socialize overtelephones, for example, while simultaneously viewing television contentaccessed by their respective set-top boxes from the provider network.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts an example provider network that includes set-top boxesenabled for presenting a virtual environment in accordance withdisclosed embodiments;

FIG. 2 depicts, in block diagram form, selected elements of an embodiedset-top box;

FIG. 3 depicts a screen shot from a social interactive televisionenvironment that, in accordance with disclosed embodiments,simultaneously contains a virtual environment with avatars and thepresentation of a multimedia program;

FIG. 4 depicts, in block diagram form, selected software-basedapplications of an embodied set-top box for capturing and processinganimation data and presenting a virtual environment in accordance withdisclosed embodiments; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram with selected operations for capturinganimation data and presenting a virtual environment in accordance withdisclosed embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)

In one aspect, an embodied method includes presenting a virtualenvironment containing avatars. In some embodiments, the virtualenvironment is presented during the presentation of a multimediaprogram. The method includes continually monitoring a viewer to obtainanimation input data that is used to influence an avatar correspondingto the viewer. The method further includes displaying in the virtualenvironment an avatar corresponding to the viewer. In addition todisplaying the avatar corresponding to the viewer, the virtualenvironment displays further avatars corresponding to further viewers.The method further includes continually updating the avatar in responseto the animation input data, which may be continually received orcontinually updated. In some embodiments, monitoring the viewer includesestimating facial expressions and the animation input data may includefacial expression data. In some embodiments, the method further includesdetecting laughter from the person and the animation input data includeslaughter data. The virtual environment including the avatars may besuperimposed over a viewing window containing a multimedia program.Alternatively, the virtual environment may be presented within aperimeter that is outside of a viewing window, to lessen anyinterference the virtual environment may create in viewing themultimedia program. The method may further include subtractingbackground data captured from a viewing area in which a viewer sits.Subtracting background data may result in animation input data thatcorresponds substantially only to the monitored person. In someembodiments, the method includes capturing the background data for theviewing area in response to detecting a lack of motion in a viewingarea. Similarly, the beginning or end of a viewing session may beestimated or detected by sensing motion in the viewing area. The methodmay further include detecting the viewer entering the viewing area andsimulating the avatar entering the virtual environment in response tothe detecting operation.

In another aspect, an embodied computer program product includesinstructions for presenting both a virtual environment and a multimediaprogram simultaneously. The virtual environment contains one or moreavatars that correspond to one or more viewers in one or more viewingareas during a viewing session. The computer program product hasinstructions that are operable for receiving animation input data thatresults from monitoring one or more viewers. Further instructions areoperable for displaying one or more avatars that correspond to theviewers in a virtual environment. The computer program product furtherhas instructions operable for continually updating the one or moreavatars in response to animation input data that is continually updatedin some embodiments. Received animation input data may include facialexpression data captured by continually monitoring, estimating, andprocessing images captured from a viewers face. In addition, animationdata may include laughter data that is generated in response todetecting laughter from the viewer. Detecting laughter may be achievedby processing some combination of audio data and video data. In someembodiments, when presenting the virtual environment including the oneor more avatars that correspond to one or more viewers, instructions areoperable for superimposing the virtual environment over a multimediaprogram. Alternatively, further instructions may be enabled for placingthe virtual environment within a perimeter outside a presentation windowof the multimedia program on a display. Additional instructions may beoperable for subtracting background data received from a viewing area toresult in animation input data that corresponds substantially to themonitored person and not the viewing area around the monitored person.Further instructions in some embodiments are operable for receivingpresence data by measuring an amount of motion in a viewing area. Inaddition, further instructions may be operable for detecting thebeginning or end of a viewing session by detecting motion in the viewingarea.

In a further aspect, an embodied service is for simultaneouslypresenting on one or more displays a virtual environment and amultimedia program. The service includes receiving viewer requests to bepresented with instances of the virtual environment. The virtualenvironment, in some embodiments, includes a plurality of avatars thatcorrespond to the plurality of viewers that may be in different locales.Some embodied services further include translating animation datagenerated from individual viewers of the plurality of viewers into aplurality of synthetic avatar actions taken by corresponding avatars.The synthetic avatar actions are presented within the virtualenvironment and are intended to mimic actions by corresponding viewers.In some embodiments, animation data is continually obtained from one ormore viewing areas that include the plurality of viewers. Viewers may bemonitored to detect when they enter or leave a viewing area. Facialexpression data and laughter data may be collected and processed asanimation data that may be translated into synthetic avatar actionswithin a virtual environment presented on displays in each locale of aparticipating viewer. In some embodiments, viewers provide permissioninput that may affect which locales have the viewer's avatar displayedwithin instances of the virtual environment.

The following description includes examples and details to enable one ofordinary skill in the art to practice the claimed subject matter withoutundue experimentation. It should be apparent to a person of ordinaryskill that disclosed embodiments are exemplary and not exhaustive of allpossible embodiments. Regarding reference numerals used to describeelements in the figures, a hyphenated form of a reference numeral refersto a specific instance of an element and the un-hyphenated form of thereference numeral refers to the element generically or collectively.Thus, for example, “set-top box 121-1” refers to an instance of aset-top box. Accordingly, multiple set-top boxes may be referred tocollectively as “set-top boxes 121” or “STBs 121.” In addition, usingthis numbering convention, a single set-top box may be referred to moregenerically as “set-top box 121” or “STB 121.”

Disclosed embodiments relate to social interactive television and, insome cases, include the presentation of a virtual environmentsimultaneously with multimedia content such as a television program.Television programs, video-on-demand (“VOD”) programs, radio programs,and a variety of other types of multimedia content may be distributed tomultiple viewers (i.e., users, subscribers, participants) over varioustypes of networks. Suitable types of networks that may be provisionedfor distribution and delivery of multimedia content include, asexamples, telephony-based networks, coaxial-based networks,satellite-based networks, and the like.

In some networks that may include, for example, traditionalcoaxial-based “cable” networks, a service provider distributes a mixedsignal that may include a relatively large number of multimedia contentchannels. Each channel may be transmitted at a different frequency band(i.e., channel), through a coaxial cable, a fiber-optic cable, or acombination of these and potentially other cables or wireless media. Theenormous bandwidth required to transport simultaneously large numbers ofmultimedia channels is a source of constant challenge for cable-basedproviders. In these types of networks, a tuner or some form of receiveris required to select a channel from the mixed signal for playing orrecording. Accordingly, a user wishing to play or record multiplechannels simultaneously may need distinct tuners for each desiredchannel. This is an inherent limitation of cable networks and othermixed signal networks.

In contrast to mixed signal networks, Internet Protocol Television(IPTV) networks generally distribute content to a user only in responseto user requests. Therefore, at any given time, the number of contentchannels provided to the user is relatively small. For example, a usermay simultaneously receive one or more multimedia streams that containone channel for viewing and possibly one or more channels for recordingduring viewing of the first channel. As suggested by the name, IPTVnetworks typically employ IP and other open, mature, and pervasivenetworking technologies. During transmission, rather than requiring theuse of a particular frequency band, an IPTV television program, movie,or other form of multimedia content is a digital, packet-based streamthat corresponds to a particular network address (e.g., an IP address).In such networks, the concept of a channel is inherently distinct fromthe frequency channels native to mixed signal networks. Moreover,whereas a mixed signal network may require a hardware-intensive tunerfor every channel to be played, IPTV channels can be “tuned” simply bytransmitting a request (e.g., a universal resource locator (URL)request) to a server.

To transmit multimedia content, IPTV service providers may utilizeexisting infrastructure such as existing telephone lines. In addition,within a user's site (e.g., home or office), an IPTV service providermay utilize customer premise equipment (CPE), a residential gateway(RG), digital subscriber line (DSL) modem, or other equipment that beenabled for receiving multimedia content and data from the providernetwork. Such CPE may include set-top boxes (STBs), displays, and otherappropriate equipment converting the received multimedia content intousable form. In some implementations, a core portion of an IPTV networkis implemented with fiber optic cables while the so-called last mile mayinclude conventional, unshielded, twisted-pair, copper cables (e.g.,traditional telephone lines).

Typical IPTV networks support bidirectional (i.e., two-way)communication between a user's CPE and the content provider's equipment.Bidirectional communication allows the content provider (i.e., “serviceprovider”) to deploy advanced features, such as VOD, pay-per-view,electronic programming guides (“EPGs”), and the like. Bidirectionalnetworks may also enable a service provider to collect informationrelated to a user's preferences, viewing habits and the like. Inaccordance with disclosed embodiments, bidirectional provider networksallow for the presentation of a virtual environment including aplurality of avatars that represent participating users (i.e., viewers)in a social television environment. The bidirectional nature of the IPTVnetwork also allows software applications related to the socialinteractive television environment to be network-based. In addition,communication between STBs over the provider network is permitted due tothe bidirectional nature of an IPTV provider network. Accordingly,animation input data, for example video images captured from STB-basedcameras, may be transmitted over a provider network for use in updatingavatars displayed in remote instances of the virtual environment.

Additional details of embodied systems and methods are included in theattached drawings. FIG. 1 depicts selected aspects of a multimediacontent distribution network (MCDN) 100. MCDN 100 is a provider networkthat, as shown, may be divided into a client side 101 and a serviceprovider side 102 (a.k.a. server side 102). The client side 101 includesall or most of the resources depicted to the left of access network 130while the server side 102 encompasses the remainder.

Client side 101 and server side 102 are linked by access network 130. Inembodiments of MCDN 100 that leverage telephony hardware andinfrastructure, access network 130 may include the “local loop” or “lastmile,” which refers to the physical wires that connect a user's home orbusiness to a local exchange. In these embodiments, the physical layerof access network 130 may include twisted pair copper cables or fiberoptics cables employed as either fiber to the curb (FTTC) or fiber tothe home (FTTH).

Access network 130 may include hardware and firmware to perform signaltranslation when access network 130 includes multiple types of physicalmedia. For example, an access network that includes twisted-pairtelephone lines to deliver multimedia content to consumers may utilizeDSL. In embodiments of access network 130 that implement FTTC, a DSLaccess multiplexer (DSLAM) may be used within access network 130 totransfer signals containing multimedia content from optical fiber tocopper wire for DSL delivery to consumers.

In other embodiments, access network 130 may transmit radio frequency(RF) signals over coaxial cables. In these embodiments, access network130 may utilize quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) equipment fordownstream traffic. In these embodiments, access network 130 may receiveupstream traffic from a consumer's location using quadrature phase shiftkeying (QPSK) modulated RF signals. In such embodiments, a cable modemtermination system (CMTS) may be used to mediate between IP-basedtraffic on private network 110 and access network 130.

Services provided by the server side resources as shown in FIG. 1 may bedistributed over a private network 110. In some embodiments, privatenetwork 110 is referred to as a “core network.” In at least someembodiments, private network 110 includes a fiber optic WAN, referred toherein as the fiber backbone, and one or more video hub offices (VHOs).In large-scale implementations of MCDN 100, which may cover a geographicregion comparable, for example, to the region served by telephony-basedbroadband services, private network 110 includes a hierarchy of VHOs.

A national VHO, for example, may deliver national content feeds toseveral regional VHOs, each of which may include its own acquisitionresources to acquire local content, such as the local affiliate of anational network, and to inject local content such as advertising andpublic service announcements from local entities. The regional VHOs maythen deliver the local and national content for reception by usersserved by the regional VHO. The hierarchical arrangement of VHOs, inaddition to facilitating localized or regionalized content provisioning,may conserve bandwidth by limiting the content that is transmitted overthe core network and injecting regional content “downstream” from thecore network.

Segments of private network 110, as shown in FIG. 1, are connectedtogether with a plurality of network switching and routing devicesreferred to simply as switches 113 through 117. The depicted switchesinclude client facing switch 113, acquisition switch 114,operations-systems-support/business-systems-support (OSS/BSS) switch115, database switch 116, and an application switch 117. In addition toproviding routing/switching functionality, switches 113 through 117preferably include hardware or firmware firewalls, not depicted, thatmaintain the security and privacy of network 110. Other portions of MCDN100 communicate over a public network 112, including, for example, theInternet or other type of web-network where the public network 112 issignified in FIG. 1 by the World Wide Web icons 111.

As shown in FIG. 1, the client side 101 of MCDN 100 depicts two of apotentially large number of client side resources referred to hereinsimply as client(s) 120. Each client 120, as shown, includes an STB 121,an RG 122, a display 124, and a remote control device 126. As shown,displays 124 are coupled to cameras 157 for capturing animation datafrom users (e.g., viewers) in viewing areas that may be in front of andaround displays 124. Clients 120 may be in different user sites, forexample houses that are in different cities. In the depicted embodiment,STBs 121 communicates with server side devices through access network130 via RGs 122 to provide locally collected animation data that mayundergo local processing or network processing to result in thepresentation of multiple instances of a virtual environment that mayeach include avatars corresponding to individual viewers.

As shown in FIG. 1, RGs 122 may include elements of broadband modems(e.g., DSL modems), as well as elements of Ethernet compliant routersand/or access points that are suitable for communication over LANs 127.In some embodiments, STBs 121 may be uniquely addressable Ethernetcompliant devices. In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, remote controldevice 126 communicates wirelessly with STB 121 using an infrared (IR)or RF signal. Display 124 may include any form of conventional frequencytuner and may contain all or part of the functionality and circuitry ofRG 122, STB 121, and camera 157.

In IPTV compliant implementations of MCDN 100, clients 120 are operableto receive packet-based multimedia streams from access network 130 andprocess the streams for presentation on displays 124. In addition,clients 120 are network-aware systems that may facilitatebidirectional-networked communications with server side 102 resources tofacilitate network-hosted services and features. Because clients 120 areoperable to process multimedia content streams while simultaneouslysupporting more traditional web-like communications, clients 120 maysupport or comply with a variety of different types of network protocolsincluding streaming protocols such as reliable datagram protocol (RDP)over user datagram protocol Internet protocol (UDP/IP) and web protocolssuch as hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) over transport controlprotocol IP (TCP/IP).

The depiction in FIG. 1 of server side 102 emphasizes networkcapabilities including application resources 105, content acquisitionresources 106, content delivery resources 107, and OSS/BSS resources108. One or more of these resources may have access to databaseresources 109.

Before distributing multimedia content to viewers, MCDN 100 firstobtains multimedia content from content providers. To that end,acquisition resources 106 encompass various systems and devices toacquire multimedia content, reformat it when necessary or desired, andprocess it for delivery to users over private network 110 and accessnetwork 130.

Acquisition resources 106 may include, for example, systems forcapturing analog and/or digital content feeds, either directly from acontent provider or from a content aggregation facility. Content feedstransmitted via VHF/UHF broadcast signals may be captured by an antenna141 and delivered to live acquisition server 140. Similarly, liveacquisition server 140 may capture down linked signals transmitted by asatellite 142 and received by a parabolic dish 144. In addition, liveacquisition server 140 may acquire programming feeds transmitted viahigh-speed fiber feeds or other suitable transmission means. Acquisitionresources 106 may further include signal conditioning systems andcontent preparation systems for encoding content.

As depicted in FIG. 1, content acquisition resources 106 include a VODacquisition server 150. VOD acquisition server 150 receives content fromone or more VOD sources that may be external to the MCDN 100 including,as examples, discs represented by a DVD player 151, or transmitted feeds(not shown). VOD acquisition server 150 may temporarily store multimediacontent for transmission to a VOD delivery server 158 in communicationwith client-facing switch 113.

After acquiring multimedia content, acquisition resources 106 maytransmit acquired content over private network 110, for example, to oneor more servers in content delivery resources 107. Prior totransmission, live acquisition server 140 may encode acquired contentusing, e.g., MPEG-2, H.263, a Windows Media Video (WMV) family codec, oranother suitable video codec. Acquired content may be encoded andcomposed to preserve network bandwidth and network storage resourcesand, optionally, to provide encryption for securing the content. VODcontent acquired by VOD acquisition server 150 may be in a compressedformat prior to acquisition and further compression or formatting priorto transmission may be unnecessary and/or optional.

Content delivery resources 107 as shown in FIG. 1 are in communicationwith private network 110 via client facing switch 113. In the depictedimplementation, content delivery resources 107 include a contentdelivery server 155 in communication with a live or real-time contentserver 156 and a VOD delivery server 158. For purposes of thisdisclosure, the use of the term “live” or “real-time” in connection withcontent server 156 is intended primarily to distinguish the applicablecontent from the content provided by VOD delivery server 158. Thecontent provided by a VOD server is sometimes referred to astime-shifted content to emphasize the ability to obtain and view VODcontent substantially without regard to the time of day or the day ofweek.

Content delivery server 155, in conjunction with live content server 156and VOD delivery server 158, responds to viewer requests for content byproviding the requested content to the viewer. The content deliveryresources 107 are, in some embodiments, responsible for creating videostreams that are suitable for transmission over private network 110and/or access network 130. In some embodiments, creating video streamsfrom the stored content generally includes generating data packets byencapsulating relatively small segments of the stored content in one ormore packet headers according to the network communication protocolstack in use. These data packets are then transmitted across a networkto a receiver (e.g., STB 121 of client 120), where the content is parsedfrom individual packets and re-assembled into multimedia contentsuitable for processing by a STB decoder.

Viewer requests received by content delivery server 155 may include anindication of the content that is being requested. In some embodiments,this indication includes an IP address associated with the desiredcontent. For example, a particular local broadcast television stationmay be associated with a particular channel and the feed for thatchannel may be associated with a particular IP address. When a userwishes to view the station, the subscriber may interact with remotecontrol device 126 to send a signal to STB 121 indicating a request forthe particular channel. When STB 121 responds to the remote controlsignal, the STB 121 changes to the requested channel by transmitting arequest that includes an IP address associated with the desired channelto content delivery server 155.

Content delivery server 155 may respond to a request for content bymaking a streaming video signal accessible STB 121 for conversion intousable form by display 124. Content delivery server 155 may employunicast and broadcast techniques when making content available to aviewer. In the case of multicast, content delivery server 155 employs amulticast protocol to deliver a single originating stream to multipleclients. When a new user requests the content associated with amulticast stream, there may be latency associated with updating themulticast information to reflect the new viewer as a part of themulticast group. To avoid exposing this undesirable latency to the user,content delivery server 155 may temporarily unicast a stream to therequesting user. When the user is ultimately enrolled in the multicastgroup, the unicast stream is terminated and the user receives themulticast stream. Multicasting desirably reduces bandwidth consumptionby reducing the number of streams that must be transmitted over theaccess network 130 to clients 120.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a client-facing switch 113 provides a conduitbetween client side 101, including client 120, and server side 102.Client-facing switch 113, as shown, is so-named because it connectsdirectly to the client 120 via access network 130 and it provides thenetwork connectivity of IPTV services to users' locations.

To deliver multimedia content, client-facing switch 113 may employ anyof various existing or future Internet protocols for providing reliablereal-time streaming multimedia content. In addition to the TCP, UDP, andHTTP protocols referenced above, such protocols may use, in variouscombinations, other protocols including, real-time transport protocol(RTP), real-time control protocol (RTCP), file transfer protocol (FTP),and real-time streaming protocol (RTSP), as examples.

In some embodiments, client-facing switch 113 routes multimedia contentencapsulated into IP packets over access network 130. For example, anMPEG-2 transport stream may be sent, in which the transport streamconsists of a series of 188-byte transport packets, for example.Client-facing switch 113 as shown is coupled to a content deliveryserver 155, acquisition switch 114, applications switch 117, a clientgateway 153, and a terminal server 154 that is operable to provideterminal devices with a connection point to the private network 110.Client gateway 153 may provide subscriber access to private network 110and the resources coupled thereto.

In some embodiments, STB 121 may access MCDN 100 using informationreceived from client gateway 153. Subscriber devices may access clientgateway 153 and client gateway 153 may then allow such devices to accessthe private network 110 once the devices are authenticated or verified.Similarly, client gateway 153 may prevent unauthorized devices, such ashacker computers or stolen STBs, from accessing the private network 110.Accordingly, in some embodiments, when an STB 121 accesses MCDN 100,client gateway 153 verifies subscriber information by communicating withuser store 172 via the private network 110. Client gateway 153 mayverify billing information and subscriber status by communicating withan OSS/BSS gateway 167. OSS/BSS gateway 167 may transmit a query to theOSS/BSS server 181 via an OSS/BSS switch 115 that may be connected to apublic network 112. Upon client gateway 153 confirming subscriber and/orbilling information, client gateway 153 may allow STB 121 access to IPTVcontent, VOD content, and other services. If client gateway 153 cannotverify subscriber information for STB 121, for example, because it isconnected to an unauthorized twisted pair or RG, client gateway 153 mayblock transmissions to and from STB 121 beyond the private accessnetwork 130.

MCDN 100, as depicted, includes application resources 105, whichcommunicate with private network 110 via application switch 117.Application resources 105 as shown include an application server 160operable to host or otherwise facilitate one or more subscriberapplications 165 that may be made available to system subscribers. Forexample, subscriber applications 165 as shown include an electronicprogramming guide (EPG) application 163. Subscriber applications 165 mayinclude other applications including user applications 164. In additionto subscriber applications 165, application server 160 may host orprovide a gateway to operation support systems and/or business supportsystems. In some embodiments, communication between application server160 and the applications that it hosts and/or communication betweenapplication server 160 and client 120 may be via a conventional webbased protocol stack such as HTTP over TCP/IP or HTTP over UDP/IP.

As shown in FIG. 1, application server 160 hosts an application referredto generically as user application 164. User application 164 representsan application that may deliver a value-added feature to a subscriber ora user which may not necessarily subscribe to any service. Userapplication 164 is illustrated in FIG. 1 to emphasize the ability toextend the network's capabilities by implementing one or morenetworked-hosted application. Because the application resides on thenetwork, it generally does not impose any significant requirements orimply any substantial modifications to the client 120 including the STB121. In some instances, an STB 121 may require knowledge of a networkaddress associated with user application 164, but STB 121 and the othercomponents of client 120 are largely unaffected. Accordingly, STBs thatare not locally networked together may exchange information through userapplication 164 or may share information that is processed by one ormore applications such as user application 164.

In some embodied systems, application server 160 hosts a userapplication 164 that includes an animation module, a background module,and other modules for providing avatars in a virtual environment thatmay be presented in one or more alternate forms on displays 124simultaneously or alternately with one or more multimedia programs. Inthis capacity, server side 102 is enabled for providing a socialinteractive service (i.e., participating in a virtual environment) thatis available to a plurality of users that may each be communicativelycoupled to access network 130. In some embodiments, the virtualenvironment is transposed atop a multimedia program on a common display.Alternatively, the instances of the virtual environment may appear inborder areas that surround viewing windows used in the presentation of amultimedia program on displays 124. Still further, the virtualenvironments may be presented within picture-in-picture windows orseparate displays (not depicted) altogether. At a viewer's options, themultimedia program may be toggled alternately with the virtualenvironment using inputs received by remote 126. In some embodiments,user application 164 receives viewer requests to be presented or omittedfrom instances of a virtual environment. For example, a viewer maychoose not to participate in an instance of a virtual environmentpresented on the display of a stranger.

A virtual environment presented in accordance with disclosed embodimentsmay include a plurality of avatars that correspond to a plurality ofviewers that cameras 157 capture. The virtual environment, in someembodiments, contains a plurality of avatars that are simultaneously oralternately displayed during the presentation of a multimedia program ondisplays 124. An animation module (e.g., a software routine stored on acomputer readable medium) may be hosted locally by STBs 121 or networkbased and hosted by application server 160. In other embodiments,computing and processing duties of animation modules and other similarsystems are split between local devices and network-based devices.Viewer movements captured by cameras 157 are used to generate animationdata that is processed and translated by one or more animation modulesin corresponding avatar emotions and actions. Each viewer has acorresponding avatar that may be shown in each instance of a virtualenvironment. In some embodiments, a viewer may block presentation of theviewer's avatar in one or more instances of a virtual environment. Inaddition, a viewer may choose to view an instance of a virtualenvironment without otherwise participating in it by allowing localanimation data to be collected and processed. In some embodiments,viewers may limit presentation of their corresponding avatars to certainother viewers. In such cases, user application 164 or relatedapplications may be responsible for maintaining a list of permissionsand user preferences regarding when to include a viewer's avatar incertain instances and versions of the virtual environment.

Upon receiving animation data captured by cameras 157 a network-basedsystem operating with user application 164 may translate the animationdata into a plurality of synthetic avatar actions taken by correspondingavatars. The synthetic avatars are included, at a viewer's options insome cases, in identical or similar versions of the virtual environmentpresented on displays 124. Typically, the synthetic avatar actions areintended to mimic actions by corresponding viewers. Therefore, in anexemplary embodiment, the virtual environment includes a plurality ofavatars that are animated with the synthetic avatar actions and thesynthetic avatar actions result from animation data captured by cameras157. The animation data may include facial animation data and othermovement data. Further, user application 164 may process animation datafrom cameras 157 to detect when a viewer enters or leaves a viewingarea. In response to such detection of movement into or out of a viewingarea, user application 164 may correspondingly simulate the avatarentering or leaving the virtual environment. In some cases, speechcaptured from viewers is presented to other viewers or presented in thevirtual environment. For example, user application 164 may translatecaptured speech into text, and after speech recognition processing thetext may be presented in graphical form in the virtual environment. Thisprovides a social interactive television environment in which viewersmay comment on the multimedia program that is then displayed.

Although some embodiments rely on user application 164 to processanimation data, other embodiments may spread processing tasks amongother devices such as STBs 121. In some cases, STBs 121 processanimation data and present the processed data to user application 164 ordirectly to other STBs. In turn, some combination of STBs 121 and userapplication 164 processes the animation data and creates forpresentation on displays 124 the virtual environment including aplurality of synthetic avatars that generally mimic the movements andemotions of corresponding, participating viewers.

Additional elements shown in FIG. 1 include database switch 116, whichis connected to applications switch 117 and provides access to databaseresources 109. Database resources 109 include a database server 170 thatmanages a system storage resource 172, also referred to herein as userstore 172. User store 172, as shown, includes one or more user profiles174 where each user profile includes account information and may includepreferences information that may be retrieved by applications executingon application server 160 including subscriber application 165.

MCDN 100, as shown, includes an OSS/BSS resource 108 including anOSS/BSS switch 115. OSS/BSS switch 115 facilitates communication betweenOSS/BSS resources 108 via public network 112. The OSS/BSS switch 115 iscoupled to an OSS/BSS server 181 that hosts operations support servicesincluding remote management via a management server 182. OSS/BSSresources 108 may include a monitor server (not depicted) that monitorsnetwork devices within or coupled to MCDN 100 via, for example, a simplenetwork management protocol (SNMP).

As shown in FIG. 1, cameras 157 are physically coupled to, integratedinto, or placed near displays 124. In accordance with disclosedembodiments, camera 157-1 captures an image of a viewer (i.e., a firstviewer) of STB 121-1 and camera 157-2 captures an image of a viewer(i.e., a second viewer) of STB 121-2. In addition, cameras 157 mayemploy a motion detector (not depicted) to determine when a viewer ispresent. When no viewer is detected, cameras 157 may capture images ofthe background environments in which the viewers sit. After motion isdetected by a viewer entering the background environment, cameras 157and supporting processing modules may subtract the backgroundenvironments. After subtracting the background environments, avatars ofeach viewer are presented on displays 124. In some cases, the avatarsare presented with a common background in a virtual environment. Forexample, avatars may be shown together in a virtual living room or movietheater. Although cameras 157 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as possiblyphysically coupled to displays 124, the cameras may be separate fromdisplays 124. For example, the cameras may be integrated into STBs 121or remote control devices 126. In some disclosed embodiments, thecameras monitor viewers to estimate facial expressions and emotions thatcan be translated into corresponding facial expressions and emotions ina displayed avatar. In addition, as a viewer walks around, walks into,or walks out of a viewing area, such motion can be tracked by cameras157 and translated into analogous motions from avatars presented ondisplays 124.

FIG. 2 depicts selected components of STB 121, which may be similar toor identical to STB 121 in FIG. 1. As shown, STB 121 (FIG. 2) is enabledto provide multimedia output that includes a virtual environment thatmay be presented simultaneously with a multimedia program. As shown, STB121 is suitable for use in an IPTV client and includes functionality insome combination of hardware, software, and firmware to receivestreaming multimedia data from an IP-based network and process the datato produce video and audio signals suitable for delivery to an NTSC,PAL, or other type of display 124. In addition, some embodiments of STB121 may include resources to store multimedia content locally andresources to play back locally stored multimedia content.

As shown in FIG. 2, STB 121 includes a general-purpose processing corerepresented as controller 260. Controller 260 communicates with specialpurpose multimedia modules including, as examples,transport/demultiplexer module 205, an A/V decoder 210, a video encoder220, an audio digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 230, and an RF modulator235. Although FIG. 2 depicts each of these modules discretely, STB 121may be implemented with a system on chip (SoC) device that integratescontroller 260 and each of these multimedia modules. In still otherembodiments, STB 121 may include an embedded processor serving ascontroller 260 and at least some of the multimedia modules may beimplemented with a general-purpose digital signal processor (DSP) andsupporting software.

As shown in FIG. 2, input module 251 is for receiving animation inputthat is captured from a viewer or viewers that are likely in a viewingarea near STB 121. For example, a video camera (not depicted) maybe becoupled to input module 251 for capturing live video data that may beprocessed and relayed by input module 251 to other components within STB121 including controller 260 and storage 270. Input module 251, in someembodiments, may also receive, process, and relay audio signals that areindicative of a viewer's speech. In turn, the audio signals may bedisplayed as text within a virtual environment. For example, STB 121 andsimilar STBs in a networked environment may be enabled for performingspeech recognition on the comments of their respective viewers,attributing the comments to the correct viewers, and displaying textualversions of the text as callouts (e.g., clouds filled with text) ondisplays that are used to simultaneously view a multimedia program and avirtual environment that includes avatars representing each of theviewers. In some embodiments, input 251 is enabled for receiving signalsfrom remote devices such as cameras, microphones, presence detectors,motion detectors, and the like.

As shown, STB 121 includes a network interface 202 that enables STB 121to communicate with an external network such as LAN 127. Networkinterface 202 may share many characteristics with conventional networkinterface cards (NICs) used in personal computer platforms. Forembodiments in which LAN 127 is an Ethernet LAN, for example, networkinterface 202 implements level 1 (physical) and level 2 (data link)layers of a standard communication protocol stack by enabling access tothe twisted pair or other form of physical network medium and bysupporting low level addressing using media access control (MAC)addressing. In these embodiments, every network interface 202 includes,for example, a globally unique 48-bit MAC address 203 stored in aread-only memory (ROM) or other persistent storage element of networkinterface 202. Similarly, at the other end of the LAN connection 127, RG122 (FIG. 1) has a network interface (not depicted) with its ownglobally unique MAC address. Communication between STBs may be used toaccomplish the display of avatars corresponding to remotely locatedviewers in accordance with disclosed embodiments.

Network interface 202 may further include or support software orfirmware providing one or more complete network communication protocolstacks. Where network interface 202 is tasked with receiving streamingmultimedia communications, for example, network interface 202 mayinclude a streaming video protocol stack such as an RTP/UDP stack. Inthese embodiments, network interface 202 is operable to receive a seriesof streaming multimedia packets and process them to generate a digitalmultimedia stream 204 that is provided to transport/demux 205.

As shown in FIG. 2, STB 121 carries and processes digital multimediastream 204, which in accordance with disclosed embodiments contains amultimedia program, a virtual environment with avatars, and anyassociated audio data. The digital multimedia stream 204 is a sequenceof digital information that includes interlaced audio data streams andvideo data streams. The video and audio data contained in digitalmultimedia stream 204 may be referred to as “in-band” data in referenceto a particular frequency bandwidth that such data might have beentransmitted in an RF transmission environment. Digital multimedia stream204 may also include “out-of-band” data that might encompass any type ofdata that is not audio or video data, but may refer in particular todata that is useful to the provider of an IPTV service. This out-of-banddata might include, for example, billing data, decryption data, and dataenabling the IPTV service provider to manage IPTV client 120 remotely.In some embodiments, some combination of the virtual environment orassociated animation data may be transmitted as out-of-band data andotherwise excluded from the audio or video portions of digitalmultimedia stream 204.

Transport/demux 205 as shown is operable to segregate and possiblydecrypt the audio, video, and out-of-band data in digital multimediastream 204. Transport/demux 205 outputs a digital audio stream 206, adigital video stream 207, and an out-of-band digital stream 208 to A/Vdecoder 210. Transport/demux 205 may also, in some embodiments, supportor communicate with various peripheral interfaces of STB 121 including aradio frequency (RF) interface 250 suitable for use with an RF remotecontrol unit (not shown) and a front panel interface (not shown). RFinterface 250 may also be compatible to receive infrared signals, lightsignals, laser signals, or other signals from remote control devicesthat use signal types that differ from RF signals. RF interface 250represents a hardware interface that may be enabled for receivingsignals indicative of user inputs. For example, a user may provide userinputs to a remote control device for selecting or highlighting EPGelements on a display or setting preferences regarding the presentationof a user's avatar in a virtual environment.

A/V decoder 210 processes digital audio, video, and out-of-band streams206, 207, and 208 respectively to produce a native format digital audiostream 211 and a native format digital video stream 212. A/V decoder 210processing may include decompression of digital audio stream 206 and/ordigital video stream 207, which are generally delivered to STB 121 ascompressed data streams. In some embodiments, digital audio stream 206and digital video stream 207 are MPEG compliant streams and, in theseembodiments, A/V decoder 210 is an MPEG decoder.

The digital out-of-band stream 208 may include information about orassociated with content provided through the audio and video streams.This information may include, for example, the title of a show, startand end times for the show, type or genre of the show, broadcast channelnumber associated with the show, and so forth. A/V decoder 210 maydecode such out-of-band information. MPEG embodiments of A/V decoder 210support a graphics plane as well as a video plane and at least some ofthe out-of-band information may be incorporated by A/V decoder 210 intoits graphics plane and presented to display 124, perhaps in response toa signal from a remote control device. In addition to potentiallyincluding data for presenting a virtual environment, the digitalout-of-band stream 208 may be a part of an EPG, an interactive programguide, or an electronic service guide (ESG). These devices allow aviewer to navigate, select, and search for content by time, channel,genre, title, and the like. A typical EPG may have a GUI that enablesthe display of program titles and other descriptive information such asprogram identifiers, a summary of subject matter for programs, names ofactors, names of directors, year of production, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the native format digital audio stream 211 is routedto audio DAC 230 to produce an audio output signal 231. The nativeformat digital video stream 212 is routed to an NTSC/PAL or othersuitable video encoder 220, which generates digital video output signalssuitable for presentation to an NTSC or PAL compliant display device. Inthe depicted embodiment, video encoder 220 generates a composite videooutput signal 221 and an S video output signal 222. An RF modulator 235receives the audio and composite video output signals 231 and 221respectively and generates an RF output signal 233 suitable forproviding to an analog input of a display (e.g., display 124 from FIG.1). STB 121, as shown, includes universal serial bus (USB) interface 240and a local interconnection interface 245. Local interconnectioninterface 245 may, in some embodiments, support Home Phone NetworkingAlliance (HPNA) or another form of local interconnection 123 as shown inFIG. 1.

In accordance with disclosed embodiments, STB 121 receives animationinput data over input 251 from a camera (e.g., camera 257-1 in FIG. 1).In addition, STB 121 is enabled for displaying a virtual environmentincluding, at a viewer's option, an avatar corresponding to the vieweras captured by the camera. The avatar is displayed in a virtualenvironment that includes further avatars corresponding to furtherviewers (i.e., STB users). Typically, avatars are continually updated inresponse to further animation input data that is received continually oroften enough to simulate viewer actions, emotion, facial expressions,and the like in the virtual environment. Multiple instances of thevirtual environment, and example embodiments, are presented on displays(e.g., display 124-2 as fed by STB 121-2 and display 124-1 as fed by STB121-1 in FIG. 1). A user of STB 121 may employ a remote control device(e.g., remote control device 126-1) which communicates with RF interface250 to accept user input regarding whether the user wishes to have theviewer's corresponding avatar displayed in local or remote instances ofthe virtual environment. In some embodied systems, a viewer may enter anew virtual environment each time a new channel or multimedia program ischosen. In this way, an avatar corresponding to a viewer is presentingin one of many virtual environments, as the viewer tunes to one of manymultimedia programs or channels. In addition, many virtual environmentsmay be available for a single channel or multimedia program. A user maychoose to enter virtual environments based on predetermined settingssuch as common interests, age, or geographic region with other viewers.

The illustrated embodiment of STB 121 includes storage resources 270that are accessible to controller 260 and possibly one or moremultimedia modules. Storage 270 may include dynamic random access memory(DRAM) or another type of volatile storage identified as memory 275 aswell as various forms of persistent or nonvolatile storage includingflash memory 280 and/or other suitable types of persistent memorydevices including ROMs, erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMs),and electrical erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROMs). Inaddition, the depicted embodiment of STB 121 includes a mass storagedevice in the form of one or more magnetic hard disks 295 supported byan integrated device electronics (IDE) compliant or other type of diskdrive 290. Embodiments of STB 121 employing mass storage devices may beoperable to store content locally and play back stored content whendesired. In addition, one or more components of storage 270 may beemployed to store animation input data and baseline data used to buildand maintain avatars for presenting within a virtual environment.

Social interactive systems provided with digital television may employcharacter-based avatars such a silhouettes or cartoon characters. Suchavatars may have only limited ability for expression. In addition, suchavatars may not provide accurate representations regarding physicalqualities or emotions for their respective viewers. To make up for theseshortcomings, some systems may require that names are given to avatarsso that viewers of a virtual environment can match avatars to theircorresponding viewers. In contrast to systems that inaccuratelyrepresent viewer participants in a virtual environment, disclosedembodiments are enabled to provide realistic, synthetic versions ofparticipants in interactive, social environments by employingsynthesized avatars for each participant built in part using input froma camera communicatively coupled to or integrated into a set-top-box,television, or monitor. In some embodiments, if no motion is detectedfor an extended period, an image may be captured and used as a referenceimage. In other cases when motion is detected (e.g., when participantsin interactive television sit down to watch television) the viewers areextracted from a captured image by comparing what parts of the imagehave changed from the reference image. This process can be repeated inreal time so that video avatars of the viewers can be created. An addedbenefit of this technique is that all viewers present in the camera'sviewing area may be extracted and represented digitally andautomatically. In addition, the viewer participants located in differentsites may be assembled together and represented on the televisions ofeach participant as if they are all in the same room and sittingtogether.

Although many interactive social settings in a network rely onpre-created avatars, disclosed embodiments relay on representations ofviewers that are created in part using inputs from a camera or fromvideo images. Avatars may be scaled, cropped, or changed as desired by aviewer with software-based editing systems. Disclosed systems may adjust(e.g., normalize) contrast and brightness for avatars created indifferent locations to achieve a realistic presentation of multipleavatars together. In interactive settings in which a group of friends isassembled, names may not be necessary so a recognition module may not berequired. If a participant walks into or out of a room (or the camerarange), that participant's avatar may be shown as walking onto or offthe television screen of each participant. Accordingly, disclosedembodiments provide an immersive and intimate way for friends to watchmultimedia programming (e.g., digital television) and interact with eachother. In addition to seeing facial expressions, posture, and other bodylanguage, actions such as pointing to onscreen content are possible. Inaddition, text-based callouts may be added next to avatars to provideviewers a silent way of communicating while participating in the virtualenvironment.

FIG. 3 depicts a screen shot 300 from a social interactive televisionenvironment that, in accordance with disclosed embodiments,simultaneously contains a virtual environment 312 and a multimediaprogram displayed in a multimedia program viewing window 304. As shown,virtual environment 312 includes avatars 306 that correspond to aplurality of viewer participants. In some embodiments, avatars 306correspond to viewers located at physically separate sites serviced byseparate STBs and RGs that are communicatively coupled to a commonprovider network. As shown, avatar 306-2 has a corresponding callout310. In some embodiments, callout 310 is automatically generated withthe aid of a speech recognition module running on an STB for the viewercorresponding to avatar 306-2. In response to detecting voice input fromthe viewer, the viewer's STB recognizes the speech and, at the viewer'soption, attributes the speech to the viewer. In addition, the attributedspeech may be provided directly or over the provider network to otherSTBs for inclusion in other instances of the virtual environment 312that are presented in locations that are remote from the viewercorresponding to avatar 306-2.

FIG. 4 illustrates STB 121, which has selected software elements (e.g.,software applications) operable for presenting a virtual environmentcontaining a plurality of synthetic avatars in accordance with disclosedembodiments. In the depicted implementation, storage 270 includesprograms or execution modules identified as remote control application401, animation application 403, motion detection application 405, andbackground application 407. In addition, the depicted implementation ofstorage 270 includes data 409.

Remote control application 401 includes computer executable code thatsupports STB 121's remote control functionality. For example, when aviewer depresses a volume button on remote control device 126 (FIG. 1),remote control application 401 is invoked by controller 260 in responseto a signal from RF I/F 250 indicating that RF I/F 250 has received aremote control command signal. Although the embodiments described hereinemploy a wireless remote control device 126 to convey viewer commands toSTB 121, the viewer commands may be conveyed to STB 121 in other ways.For example, STB 121 may include a front panel having function buttonsthat are associated with various commands, some of which may coincidewith commands associated with function buttons on remote control device126. Similarly, although remote control device 126 is described hereinas being an RF or IR remote control device, other embodiments may useother media and/or protocols to convey commands to STB 121. For example,remote control commands may be conveyed to STB 121 via USB (UniversalSerial Bus), WiFi (IEEE 802.11-family protocols), and/or Bluetoothtechniques, all of which are well known in the field of networkcommunications.

RF I/F 250 may be operable to parse or otherwise extract the remotecontrol command that is included in the signal. The remote controlcommand may then be made available to controller 260 and/or remotecontrol application 401. In this manner, remote control application 401may receive an indication of the remote control command from the RF I/F250 directly or from controller 260. In the latter case, for example,controller 260 might call remote control application 401 as a functioncall and include an indication of remote control 126 as a parameter inthe function call.

Within a virtual environment that is presented in accordance withdisclosed embodiments by STB 121 in FIG. 4, the avatars are created andmaintained in part by animation application 403 using animation inputdata received through camera 417. As shown, controller 260 processes theanimation input data by running animation application 403 and relatedapplications. Motion detection application 405 may be operational todetect when a viewer enters or leaves a viewing area. Network interface245 may receive directly from other STBs or over a provider network(e.g., access network 130 in FIG. 1) animation data and other datarelated to viewers in viewing areas remote to STB 121 that are to beincluded in a virtual environment presented by STB 121. Likewise, STB121 may provide animation data to other STBs over network interface 245for a viewer or viewer that is local to STB 121. As shown, remotecontrol device 126 includes input module 415 that may capture somecombination of audio, video, and presence data for transmission to STB121. In this way, animation data for use in creating and maintainingavatars associated with viewers local to STB 121 may be captured byremote control device 126.

Referring now to FIG. 5, methodology 500 includes operations 502-510 forpresenting a virtual environment including a plurality of avatars thatmimic viewer actions and emotions in accordance with disclosedembodiments. Methodology 500 may be carried out by a computer programproduct that has machine executable instructions. The virtualenvironment presented in accordance with some disclosed embodiments isdisplayed simultaneously (e.g., in a separate viewing window, transposedover, or in a PIP window) with instances of a multimedia program thatare also presented to viewers. In many applications, viewers are locatedin different sites (e.g., homes or rooms) and the virtual environment isused as a means for the viewers to socialize in an interactive way. Asshown, operation 508 relates to monitoring a viewer to result inanimation input data. Operation 510 relates to displaying an avatarcorresponding to the viewer in a virtual environment. As shown,methodology 500 includes loop 512, which relates to returning tooperation 508 from operation 510 for further monitoring of the viewer toresult in updated animation input data. Therefore, in accordance withdisclosed embodiments, by executing operations 508 and 510 with loop512, one or more viewers are monitored continually to result incontinually updated animation input data.

Prior to or during a viewing session, an embodied system executingmethodology 500 optionally may perform processing to subtract backgroundimages from images captured from a viewing area. In this way, images ofa viewer or viewers may be added to a virtual environment without addingextra background aspects of a viewing area such as furniture and similaritems. Accordingly, methodology 500 illustrates optional operation 502that relates to detecting a lack of motion in a viewing area that maytypically contain one or more viewers during a viewing session.Operation 502 may be accomplished in software using data obtained by acamera, otherwise operation 502 may be accomplished using one or moremotion sensors directed at a viewing area. As shown, optional operation504 relates to capturing background data from the viewing area. Inaddition, optional operation 506 relates to subtracting the backgrounddata. In some embodiments, a viewer may be presented with a virtualenvironment on a display. The virtual environment may depict theviewer's actual environment with other synthetic avatars that depictother viewers from other locations added to the viewer's virtualenvironment. Embodied systems may present other viewers within virtualenvironments that are distinct from the virtual environment in which aprimary viewer is presented. In other words, each viewer may bepresented in a separate virtual environment or virtual room. In somecases, a viewer selects through user input whether an avatarcorresponding to the viewer is allowed in the virtual environments ofother viewers. Accordingly, operation 510 in methodology 500 may relateto displaying avatars for multiple viewers depending on whether userinput permits it.

While the disclosed systems may be described in connection with one ormore embodiments, it is not intended to limit the subject matter of theclaims to the particular forms set forth. On the contrary, disclosedsystems are intended to include alternatives, modifications andequivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of thesubject matter as defined by the appended claims. For example, althoughdisclosed embodiments are often described in terms of STBs, it should benoted that disclosed embodiments may incorporate such functionality intodata processing systems, displays, televisions, or monitors that do nothave physical characteristics, for example, of traditional converterboxes that may have been operated from atop a television, as the name“set-top box” may otherwise suggest.

1. A method of presenting avatars with a multimedia program, the methodcomprising: continually monitoring a viewer to result in animation inputdata; displaying an avatar corresponding to the viewer in a virtualenvironment that includes further avatars corresponding to furtherviewers; and continually updating the avatar in response to theanimation input data.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein continuallymonitoring the viewer includes capturing facial expressions, wherein theanimation input data includes facial expression data.
 3. The method ofclaim 2, further comprising: detecting laughter from the viewer; andwherein the animation input data includes laughter data.
 4. The methodof claim 1, wherein the virtual environment is superimposed on themultimedia program for presentation on a display.
 5. The method of claim1, wherein the virtual environment is placed within a perimeter outsidethe presentation of a multimedia program on a display.
 6. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising: subtracting background data to result inanimation input data that corresponds substantially to the monitoredviewer and not a viewing area around the monitored viewer.
 7. The methodof claim 6, further comprising: detecting a level of motion in theviewing area around the monitored viewer; in response to a low level ofmotion, capturing background data from the viewing area; and in responseto a high level of motion, continually monitoring the viewer to resultin animation input data achieved in part by excluding the capturedbackground data.
 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising: detectingthe viewer entering the viewing area; and simulating the avatar enteringthe virtual environment in response to the detecting the viewerentering.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: detecting theviewer leaving the viewing area; and simulating the avatar leaving thevirtual environment in response to the detecting the viewer leaving. 10.The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving updated animationdata corresponding to the further viewers; and updating the furtheravatars in response to the updated animation data.
 11. The method ofclaim 10, wherein receiving updated animation data occurs continuallyduring a viewing session.
 12. A computer program product stored on oneor more computer readable media for simultaneously presenting avatarsand a multimedia program, the computer program product havinginstructions operable for: during a viewing session, receiving animationinput data harvested by monitoring a viewer; displaying an avatarcorresponding to the viewer in a virtual environment that includesfurther avatars corresponding to further viewers; and during theanimation session, continually updating the avatar in response to theanimation input data.
 13. The computer program product of claim 12,wherein the received animation input data includes captured facialexpression data.
 14. The computer program product of claim 13, furthercomprising instructions operable for: detecting laughter from theviewer, and wherein the animation input data includes laughter data. 15.The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the virtualenvironment is superimposed on the multimedia program for presentationon a display.
 16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein thevirtual environment is placed within a perimeter outside thepresentation of a multimedia program on a display.
 17. The computerprogram product of claim 12, further comprising instructions operablefor: subtracting background data to result in animation input data thatcorresponds substantially to the monitored viewer and not a viewing areaaround the monitored viewer.
 18. The computer program product of claim17, further comprising instructions operable for: detecting a firstlevel of motion in the viewing area for the monitored person; inresponse to the first level of motion, capturing background data fromthe viewing area; detecting a second level of motion in the viewing areato determine a viewing session is occurring, wherein continuallymonitoring the person to result in animation input data is accomplishedin part by excluding the captured background data.
 19. The computerprogram product of claim 17, further comprising instructions operablefor: detecting the viewer entering the viewing area; and simulating theavatar entering the virtual environment in response to the detecting theviewer entering.
 20. The computer program product of claim 19, furthercomprising instructions operable for: detecting the viewer leaving theviewing area; and simulating the avatar leaving the virtual environmentin response to the detecting the viewer leaving.
 21. The computerprogram product of claim 12, further comprising instructions operablefor: receiving updated animation data corresponding to the furtherviewers; and updating the further avatars in response to the updatedanimation data.
 22. The computer program product of claim 16, whereinreceiving updated animation data occurs continually during a viewingsession.
 23. A service for presenting a virtual environment containing aplurality of avatars with the presentation of a multimedia program, theservice comprising: receiving from a plurality of viewers a plurality ofrequests to be presented with instances of a virtual environment thatincludes a plurality of avatars that correspond to the plurality ofviewers; translating animation data generated from individual viewers ofthe plurality of viewers into a plurality of synthetic avatar actionstaken by corresponding avatars of the plurality of avatars, wherein thesynthetic avatar actions are intended to mimic actions by correspondingviewers of the plurality of viewers; and presenting the virtualenvironment for display, wherein the virtual environment includes theplurality of avatars that are animated with the synthetic avataractions.
 24. The service of claim 23, wherein the animation dataincludes facial animation data.